Front Porch Chit Chat
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Then I'd better get a different job because no vacations allowed in summer! I've heard of nosee-ums in Maine AND Florida. Wouldn't it be nice to summer in Maine and spend the rest of the time in the south? I am sure some do that, but I'm not so well-situated.
After having spent a few years in TX and then going back northeast during the winter, my husband said no way on winters like that again. The thing is, if it is going to be cold then please let there be snow. With that comes wind and ice. I don't know if I am really ready to live that way again.
We had oil heat back east and we were paying about $3+ a gallon. So we'd pay about $300+, usually way more, per month for a tank or even a half tank, of oil. I know that seems to be the primary way Mainers heat their homes, unless they have woodstoves.
It seems to me that there is so much to forage, grow, harvest in Maine. So much good, native plants to eat. Plus the hunting and fishing. Boating. Snow sports. Hiking. Mountains. The Appalachian Trail. Can't live it all, can't do it all. I lived within 9 hours of Maine and never went.
@Patchouli I am a fan of wood heating there is no real heat like it assuming you can get the wood at the right price or forage for it.
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I love wood heat, too. We have a wood burning stove at our farm, and it feels really good. The only drawback is if the fire dies down before it's time to wake up.
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We had a woodstove and it couldn't heat the whole house. Sometimes we'd camp in the living room when oil was low in the tank, or if we were out of oil. Party time. The kids loved it.
The wood prices were a bit high as well, sticking with hardwoods.
The wood prices were a bit high as well, sticking with hardwoods.
My job caused a lot of traveling, back when I had one, so I saw (and felt) a lot of country. Came to the conclusion that, if I had more income in retirement, I would try to live in Vermont from April 'til after Christmas (like to be with the clan for that and for Thanksgiving), and base myself in Arizona for the rest of the year - probably near Tucson. Even a few weeks in Costa Rica maybe.
Vermont - and probably the rest of New England - has emission regs for woodstoves, similar to those in Colorado when I lived there. Early on, the stove technology was barely up to the task, but I gather that it's better now. The outdoors wood furnace, with the heat piped into the home, has some popularity now, as does the pellet stove. I don't know enough about them to say much. My home is heated with propane. Yep, it's expensive; I'm on a "budget plan", spread the cost to year-around so I can afford to eat in winter.
Vermont - and probably the rest of New England - has emission regs for woodstoves, similar to those in Colorado when I lived there. Early on, the stove technology was barely up to the task, but I gather that it's better now. The outdoors wood furnace, with the heat piped into the home, has some popularity now, as does the pellet stove. I don't know enough about them to say much. My home is heated with propane. Yep, it's expensive; I'm on a "budget plan", spread the cost to year-around so I can afford to eat in winter.
I can handle Dr. Pepper once in awhile,or even Root Beer,but not Coke,that stuff gives me the runsGive him a Dr Pepper, I'll share. 1, maybe 2. Three tops!
..... (I know, TMI )
At one time, I had a hankerin' to move to Vermont, too. Visited numerous times and loved much about the place. Didn't care much for the high taxes (property taxes were ridiculous, and I'm told are much worse now) and the regulation (you mention the woodstove issue). If I were looking in that area today, I might have to move across the border and check out parts of New Hampshire.
As things happened... life is what happens while we're out making other plans... we decided the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau was a nice place to call home and we could afford it.
Funny you mention Arizona for part of the year. My step-son and his wife live in Scottsdale, AZ and are expecting my wife and I to come out for an extended stay this winter. We figured why not?! We're busy up until after Christmas but January and February, there really isn't much going on around here. It's too soon to plant any seedlings. And the garden won't take much to get it going when it's time. Plus, it'll be cold and dreary here that time of year. So we're gonna go.
Ultimately, when decripitude sets in full force, the kids have already decided that the son gets momma & me, the daughter gets their sperm donor. That puts us in sunny Arizona.
I know, I know, stuff can change long before that would ever come to pass. We'll roll with it. Hoping we won't have to worry about that for at least another 25 years.
@Patchouli the newer combustion wood stoves are better , some have fans to distribute the warmth better if you have a larger stove. Most are rated per area of what you are heating so you get the maximum benefit. It also depends on where you place the wood stove as to how effectively it heats the space you want but usually if you ask a wood stove installer they have enough knowledge to tell you.
We get free hardwood firewood we can cut from about 3 friends massive acreage farms here for the cost of our fuel and time and it is close to home. When we get our new home it will be a bit further away though to source it.
@VThrillman we now have combustion wood stove heating emissions regulations that have come into effect here. There is apparently only one brand now that meets emissions standards in the larger stoves. You are however allowed to use the older one in your home until it bites the dust and then you have to replace them with the newer low emission types.
We get free hardwood firewood we can cut from about 3 friends massive acreage farms here for the cost of our fuel and time and it is close to home. When we get our new home it will be a bit further away though to source it.
@VThrillman we now have combustion wood stove heating emissions regulations that have come into effect here. There is apparently only one brand now that meets emissions standards in the larger stoves. You are however allowed to use the older one in your home until it bites the dust and then you have to replace them with the newer low emission types.
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Speaking of firewood, hardwood is scarce and $$ in Colorado. We burned Ponderosa pine. Seasoned for a year it burned decent, but of course banking a pinewood fire doesn't amount to anything. Cold stove in the morning.
I've noticed that chunk firewood (hardwood) is is pretty dear around here, now. Seems like it ran around $70 a cord delivered a few years ago. Now I see signs saying $160 a cord, and you haul it.
I've noticed that chunk firewood (hardwood) is is pretty dear around here, now. Seems like it ran around $70 a cord delivered a few years ago. Now I see signs saying $160 a cord, and you haul it.
We use juniper and buy hardwood just for over night or when no one will home for a few hrs to keep the fire going.
@VThrillman Ironbark firewood runs out at $200 + per cubic metre here in Australia to buy. We are fortunate friends have large properties with lots of trees they want cleared that they have knocked down or previous owners of the land have knocked down. We just take our trailer and chainsaws and chop it and load it in the trailer. We run solely on Ironbark firewood for our slow combustion fireplace although it would be different if we were paying for it. If paying for it we would go with mixed gum and then Ironbark overnight much like @Weedygarden does as it just makes economic sense. Mixed gum is a pain but if cured correctly you can use it for firewood although it doesn't burn as hot as the Ironbark.
Fortunate here there are lots of country roads where we can find firewood on the road verges at almost any time to cut and bring home.
Fortunate here there are lots of country roads where we can find firewood on the road verges at almost any time to cut and bring home.
Same here...OUCH on the cost. I open a separate LP savings account and automatically transfer $200 a month into the LP savings account. Tank gets filled four or five times (dependent on the winter) a year. Nearest Natural Gas pipe line is two miles. I'm on the list to convert to NG when it's available.
I like having the LP on hand but I sure don't like the cost!
:green man:
Anybody remember folding magazines like the old tv guides into Christmas trees? It just came to me when I was removing our names from some catalogs so we could get rid of them. I remember doing it elementary in school
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@Angie very pretty Angie.
Going to The Crows Nest in Gloucester was on my bucket list but not sure that will happen with all the nuts on the roads. Want to go during Fall colors though.
Did it a lot with old readers digest for a more compact version.
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Yes, Reader's Digest!
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We still get it because my mom ordered it when she was living with us. The grandkids fight over it. I find them stashed in their bedrooms.
Well, ain't no harm in the RD. Now if it was Mad Comics. . .
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Too bad I didn't keep my MAD comic collection. Or my Betty and Veronica comics. Grandkids maybe would like them? The humor was a little different, not like the video game magazines kids today read.
Remember Spy vs Spy?
I also enjoyed reading the Highlights magazines when I was waiting my turn at the dentist office.
Remember Spy vs Spy?
I also enjoyed reading the Highlights magazines when I was waiting my turn at the dentist office.
Spy vs Spy may be the subject of psychological studies by now. I suspect that today's young teens would react differently.
Hey country lovers.
My girl pitbull Bella killed a critter and now she's all protective of mom even more than usual ( which was VERY). I told her is was just a opossum but she's convinced it was a dragon 
oh by the way.....
oh by the way.....
Opossum, dragon... They both have claws.
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My grandparents had a subscription to Reader's Digest and I usually read it cover to cover. Even the older issues have interesting stories in them and sometimes timeless information.
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:green man:
Mister Robinson...two excellent speeches!
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Frost expected over the weekend and there are 4 or 5 huge houseplants to get into the garage from the deck.
Remembering I also have to make room for them in the garage or a bedroom. Hmmm. They are poison to cats. I think I've had these plants longer than we've had the cat.
I gave the plants to a friend once, but when we moved back to the area she brought them back. They must have not been well behaved.
I need a greenhouse room.
Remembering I also have to make room for them in the garage or a bedroom. Hmmm. They are poison to cats. I think I've had these plants longer than we've had the cat.
I gave the plants to a friend once, but when we moved back to the area she brought them back. They must have not been well behaved.
I need a greenhouse room.
